Chapter 24 Did I Make A Mistake #2
“I know, David.” Greg gave a soft smile. “That meant a lot to me. That’s why it hurt you so much when I started to self-destruct after the last time.” Greg sighed. “So, I gather there was more?”
“Yeah,” he said slowly. “Graciella is the one who convinced Janet to give Veronica to Vanessa and Jacques, so long as they agreed to keep her as Aunt Janet.”
“Grandma Graciella?!” Greg protested. “Why would she do that?”
“That goes way deeper, and I don’t think I have the right to say anything here.” David wrung his hands together. “I will say that I understand her reasoning after hearing it.”
“So, you heard her explain this?” Greg asked and leaned back in the chair, then ran his hand through his hair.
“You would have heard all this too if you hadn’t basically freaked out and ran off,” David said firmly. “Not that I blame you, but,” he paused. “Greg, don’t judge what happened until you understand all the factors that affected them.”
“How much further were you able to go?” Tessa said as she returned with a handful of tissues and reddened eyes.
“He knows that Graciella orchestrated the switch at birth, but I didn’t tell him why.”
“Then I will,” Tessa said as she sat down. “Another reason for these,” she said as she held up the tissues. “There’s something that we were never told and the shock on Aunt Willamina’s face told the whole story.”
“What shocked Willamina?” Greg asked, suddenly leaning forward.
“Grandma Graciella lost Robert’s baby,” she said, tears starting to fall again.
“She knew the pain of loss in a manner that nobody knew except for Robert, Graciella and Aunt Janet. She revealed that to Aunt Janet in the hospital so Aunt Janet would understand that her dad would accept her back with the miscarriage.”
“So,” Greg mumbled then ran his hand through his hair. “Graciella lost a baby after mom and Aunt Willamina?”
“It would have been a boy, Greg,” Tessa confirmed sadly. “It’s the reason Robert’s family rejected her.”
“WOW!” Greg said as he slapped his forehead. “Just wow!” He dropped his head. “She’s been carrying that pain alone for how long?”
“Longer than any of us,” Tessa said softly.
“Brother, maybe you can understand why she did that, and why she wanted you and Veronica to find happiness together. You couldn’t stand to see Veronica crying when she found out she had to leave to go back to France for the best doctors available for that cancer at that time. ”
Greg woke up the next morning, realizing he was still on his couch and that he was curled up with Erica.
He slowly pulled his hand from around her waist and gently let her down off his shoulder as he shifted out from behind her.
He rubbed his face and looked at Erica still sleeping soundly.
‘Still so beautiful when she sleeps,’ he thought.
He rubbed his hands over his face and shook it a few times trying to get the blood going and his mind.
Finally, he stood up and instinctively went to the kitchen to prepare a pot of coffee.
“Four in the morning?” he said as he saw the LED display on the microwave as he passed it.
“Greg?” Erica called from the couch. “Come back to bed, sweetheart.”
“I’m going to make us some coffee,” he said gently.
“It’s too early. I’m still tired. Please come back to bed.”
“In a minute,” he said softly. He moved over and turned on the automatic coffee pot, then walked back into the living room and placed a blanket over Erica.
‘How did this happen?' he thought. ‘We were just talking about everything as the night was wearing on,,,’ he thought. ‘Well, at least I didn’t kiss her and we’re both still fully clothed.’
“Greg, please just come back to bed,” she begged through her closed eyes. “I want all the time I’ve got left here with you before the workday begins. Let this weekend just keep going a little longer.”
“Rest now, Erica. I’ve got an early morning, so I’m going to shower,” he said.
“Why do you always have to go save Pimico. Can’t you for once choose me over that stupid company?”
“It’s not stupid, Erica. It’s who I am, just like research is who you are.”
“I want more weekend,” she mumbled.
“Just rest. I’ll wake you after I’m dressed.” She pulled the blankets onto her shoulders tightly and mumbled. “Sweet dreams, Erica,” Greg said and softly kissed her forehead before disappearing into the bedroom to get ready for the day.
“I’m sorry, Greg,” Erica said as he came out of the bedroom, fully dressed in his gray suit. “I fell asleep on you last night.”
“That’s alright, Erica. It was a helpful conversation we had.”
“And the wine was a good choice too,” she said. “I’ve wondered about those women and then you tell me that you were set up with Veronica without even knowing it. It threw me for a loop.”
“Like when you told me you lost our child?” Greg asked.
“Not quite as devastating, but I could tell this hurt you a lot.”
“But talking about it with you really helped. I just wish I hadn’t fallen asleep with you on the couch.”
“Nothing happened, Greg. I wish it had, but I realized last night that you don’t love me that way any longer.
I made my mistakes, but please don’t let the actions of those who love you stop you from finding that love that completes you.
” She smiled. “Don’t you dare tell Keith we slept together again.
After what you told me last night, I think he might get jealous. ”
“I’m glad you are open to dating him,” Greg smiled. “It was nice to actually do something like that for both of you in return for listening to me whine about what others did in trying to help me out.”
“Just be glad you have so many who are. I only have my dad. My mom couldn’t care less about me.”
“I remember you talking about that, how she’d grown distant and cold.”
“It must have happened our Junior year. That Christmas, something changed in her, and we never had the same relationship again.”
“That was after she came back from her trip to Switzerland when your dad stayed to do some more research on that virus he wanted to beat,” Greg said as he remembered it. “She was upset about having to be there alone as I recall.”
“And that’s when she just started growing distant from everyone.”
“Thank you for listening when I brought up Keith last night. I never realized that he thought the world of you until recently. I think he would be a good fit for you.”
“He was always cute, but kind of shy.” She smiled. “If he’d have said anything, I might not have responded back then. I had some growing up to do.”
“Greg?” Janet called as she entered his office. “Have you seen the encoded message Norikuko sent with the last financials?”
“No,” he said. “Did you get this from Andy?”
“I just came from there. Check this out,” she said as she handed him the pad.
“They have not only stopped Taito-San from attempting a takeover of Tashugi, but have turned the tables and with the courts releasing the trust completely to Norikuko’s oversight, are using those funds to start a hostile takeover of Taito-San.
Those new funds that Mr. Mauerman coordinated are being routed to the Kurile Islands project as we speak. ”
“Okay, I have to know. How did David pull that one off?”
“Greg?” she said puzzled. “Nobody pulled anything off. We were all shocked when he asked why you weren’t calling him and he wanted to know where you were so he could speak with you face to face.” Janet smiled at him.
“So, he called us?” Greg said, perplexed.
“Oh, no. David put in a call to the Klines, and Molly called the Sheridan’s out in Denver, which left me calling Mr. Mauerman.” She smiled softer. “He still remembers you flying out there before Thanksgiving last year as his wife underwent the surgery for her heart.”
“I wish you could have been there. Carry was underground in witness protection because she was being hunted by the Family.”
“Didn’t you spend that Thanksgiving and Christmas with Veronica?”
“Yes, and it was on the trip for the cruise that I ran into Carry in Fort Lauderdale. Then I had to pretend I’d never seen her to protect her.
So I went on the cruise with Veronica like nothing happened.
” He rubbed his chin. “I think that’s when I realized that she made me feel comfortable being just me, not the man in charge. ”
“You love her, don’t you?”
“Does it show?”
“More than you might think.” Janet took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “I watched you love Carry, Greg, but,” she paused and read his facial expression.
“But?” Greg prodded.
“She’s not the one who has touched your heart, and I think that actually scares you. She gives you a completely different love than you have ever known. It might even be deeper than what you had with Erica.”
“You see all that between Veronica and I?”
“Yes, Greg. I know that you needed Carry and she needed you, but I’m just starting to wonder if both of you haven’t grown more mature in your relationships, and need something the other just can’t provide.”
“That’s completely intriguing,” he said and ran his hand through his hair. “Call Aunt Janet and ask her if I can host her?”
“When?”
“Tonight if possible.” He moved over to the window. “I need to find out if she really orchestrated my meeting Veronica at Club Euchre.”
“I’ll make the arrangements,” she said positively.
Aunt Willamina pulled up in front of Greg’s house late in the afternoon, and followed the girls inside as they unloaded the van full of groceries. “Genevieve, Tilly, Jill,” she said as she got out. “Aren’t you missing one?”
“Susan’s up inside getting the new air fryer out,” Genevieve said with a thumbing motion over her shoulder. “Come on girls, we’ve got a special meal to make for Aunt Janet.”
“Aunt Janet’s coming?” Willamina said, slightly perplexed. “Has Greg made it home yet?”
“We don’t know. We just got here with the groceries we had to pick up at Costco. He asked us to make a special meal for Aunt Janet and him to enjoy alone for tonight.”
“Yeah, and I’m making a pie,” Jill piped up.